The Dark Side of The Moon
by TheHildur92
Summary: Takes place immediately after the episode Corazon. After the case is closed, Reid begins to have some serious doubts about his relationship with Hotch. How will the Unit Chief take the news? In consecutive chapters I use references from the episodes they are named after but add my own twist. Established Hotch/Reid!
1. Corazon

_A knock on my door stirred me out of my reverie. I called out for the person to enter and Reid stepped into the room, closing the door behind him. He wanted to look as if he seemed unconcerned but he never had a good poker face when it came to me. I had always been able to read him like a book. He voice even shook when he finally addressed me. "You wanted to see me?"_

 _No doubt he was expecting a reprimand from me for his behaviour the day before in Miami. No wonder he seemed taken aback when I quickly rose from my chair, closed the distance between us and gathered him in my arms. "Thank God you´re okay," I breathed in a sigh of relief._

 _Reid did not return my gesture of affection, instead he stayed in my arms for a while unmoving. "I´m fine," he finally returned._

 _It was the tone of his voice that made me pull away. He still had his sunglasses on so I went to the lightswitch and turned it off. It was dark outside, and therefore the only light in the room came from the reading lamp on my desk._

" _I was afraid," I managed to whisper to the darkness, confessions were easily delivered that way._

" _Afraid of what?" Reid took off his sunglasses and threw them down on a chair, running his long fingers through his short, messy hair. I personally preferred it when he was not planning to join a boy band._

" _Of losing you." He turned to face me but for the first time he seemed emotionless. I had thought he would be elated at the suggestion we might evolve into something more, but now my fortresses of hope were collapsing one by one, leaving nothing but dust in their wake._

 _His response sealed the deal. "I´m here now, aren´t I?"_

 _Getting a bit annoyed with Reid, my next question came out more harshly then I had originally intended. "What was it with you and Julio?"_

 _Reid didn´t seem surprised at the question. He crossed his arms in front of his chest and looked at me as if I had just shot him but his posture screamed defensive. "Now we reach the crux of the matter."_

" _I have the right to veto people my boyfriend spends time with."_

" _But I´m not your boyfriend, am I?" Reid shot back. My obnoxius silence was all the confirmation he needed to continue. "For a year we have been doing this song and dance to the point where it is now exhausting. The music has stopped and now I want someone to be silent with."_

" _You want to date other people?" Reid could sometimes pass even my own understanding. I held onto this rope of salvation tightly because I didn´t believe he might cut the rope for good and I might fall into the abyss entirely._

 _As I collapsed into a chair located close by, Reid relented and came closer. He put his hand comfortingly on my shoulder and I rested my head there, only to pull away when I saw the object on his wrist. It was the protection charm Julio had given my lover. Reid retrieved his hand as if burned when he noted my reaction._

" _He thought you needed protection from me, didn´t he? How could he have known about us?"_

 _Reid shrugged to indicate that he didn´t know the answer. "He also told me my head is filled with ghosts. I think it´s only one."_

" _Your mother?" I suggested. I knew she had played more of a role than anybody else in shaping Reid into the person he was today._

 _Reid turned to walk to the window and watch the rain fall onto the panes. For a while, silence reigned and I could hear the water outside. I remembered the weather on the day of Haley´s funeral._

 _Finally, Red turned again to me. "It´s you, Hotch."_

 _It took me a moment to realize he was answering my question. Before I could continue, he finished the speech he had probably spent the day formulating in his head. "I´m not planning on letting you haunt me to death, Aaron. I want to live longer."_

 _He took a deep breath and delivered the final blow. "I think we need to break up."_

 _I was about to plead with him, beg him for a second chance when there was a knock at the door and Garcia entered without an invitation._

 _She bowed her head to Reid and then me. "My lovely ami and wonderful liege, I am sent to summon you to our next intrepid adventure!"_


	2. The 13th Step

_While hunting for the two lovers on a killing spree, Reid and I follow the same pattern. During the day, few words passed between us except those regarding the case at hand. When we retire to our empty hotel rooms at night, the hollowness seems to swallow us whole, until I knock on Reid´s door and he silently lets me in. He begins to unbutton his vest before I ask him to, and soon enough, I am pushing into him. Afterwards, we lie together. The loneliness is kept at bay as I kiss his forehead and we fall asleep, if not filled with peace, at least the illusion of it._

 _The loneliness returns however, like a hungry lion, by morning. We rarely exchange a word as we dress and prepare for the day. Sitting at breakfast with the others, we might as well be strangers._

 _Once the case in Montana is closed, we return on the plane and I finally have some time to myself to consider what might take place once we come home. I seriously consider the possibility that Reid might cut all ties with me once we are back in Washington and for once, I am petrified with fear. I might loose all I have ever cared about._

 _Reid is sitting on the sofa, speaking with Morgan in quiet tones, occasionally throwing a glance or two at me. Rossi without warning joins me at the back of the plane where I am sitting by myself. Prentiss is asleep and there is therefore little chance of us being overheard over the noise of the plane._

" _You are being a little obvious, Aaron," Rossi points out._

 _I make no answer since Rossi and I have discussed this matter too often to merit consideration. Ever since Rossi walked in on us one night shortly after we began our affair and we were fucking like bunnies, it had been a frequent conversation topic between me and my best friend. At first, Rossi was furious, threatening to call Strauss and get me fired for taking advantage of my subordinate. For the first time, I saw Reid loose his patience. He affirmed to Rossi without blushing or a pause, that he could fuck whoever he damn well-wished. Angry, Rossi had stormed out. The next day, however, he had called us both into his office, sat us down and we discussed the matter like adults. When he discovered that we had already been seeing each other for two months without any of the team finding out, he relented and allowed us to continue whatever it is we were doing (he didn´t really want the details!) as long as we could promise we wouldn´t allow it to affect the team._

" _I think he´s going to leave me, Dave," I reply after some moments of silence._

" _Well, can you blame him?" Dave suggests with his usual candour. "This job plays havoc with your personal life. Not a single person on this plane has one. I´m the last person you should be asking for advice on this matter after being divorced more times than I can count."_

 _When my best friend saw the look of utter defeat on my face, he sighed and leaned back in his seat before continuing. "My advice would be, tell him the truth. Do you love him?"_

" _Yes." How small the word seemed, yet how infinite._

" _Then tell him that. Do you know why I relented a year ago about not telling Strauss when I discovered the two of you?"_

 _I shook my head. I had always been genuinely intrigued as to why but had never come up with a satisfactory explanation, and Rossi had never offered one. "Why did you decide to keep our secret?"_

" _Because the day after the discovery I was standing on the balcony and was looking towards your office. You were standing in the window, looking down on your team. Reid looked up and caught your eye. He smiled at you and you returned the gesture. I had not seen you smile like that since Hayley died. That´s when I knew."_

" _You knew what?" It was Rossi´s turn to smile and ignore the question. He returned to his former seat by Prentiss and quickly went to sleep._

 _Never had a plane ride seemed so long before._


End file.
